


Meetings and Advices

by haru_ran



Category: Hannibal (TV), Hannibal Lecter Series - All Media Types, Hannibal Lecter Tetralogy - Thomas Harris
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-08
Updated: 2014-06-08
Packaged: 2018-02-03 21:40:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1757681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haru_ran/pseuds/haru_ran
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>To catch a killer she'll have to enter the mind of another predator. And for that she'll have to seek knowledge from one who survived and helped catching him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Meetings and Advices

**Author's Note:**

> First ever Hannibal fanfic thanks to dawtie and both our need to have an interaction between Will and Clarice because we are certain they would make the best of friends. ♥ Also this is not proof-read so please point out mistakes if you find them. :'D
> 
> Disclaimer: The story is set in between Red Dragon and The Silence of the Lambs written by Thomas Harris. A brief quote has been taken out of the latter for the end of this story. The summary as well is based on the latter book's summary. Also, a scene was based on what happened in the end of season 2 in Hannibal (TV). Possible spoilers ahead.

The sun was setting over Marathon, slipping under the horizon and coloring the Gulf of Mexico a mixture of yellow, orange, red and purplish-blue. Will Graham stood a the shore with a bottle of beer in his hand and stared onto the water. There was nothing but silence aside from the sea crashing in subtle waves onto the shore. Agonizing silence that let his mind slip back towards maroon eyes, a deep voice whispering into his ear with his hands clasping onto a broad back whilst a knife cut deep into his bowles.

Will shivered at the memory, his palm resting across his stomach where a thick scar bore witness to his last encounter with Dr. Hannibal Lecter in freedom. It was agonizing pain, their departure, yet Will strangely missed those moments he had spent with the older male in his office before he found out that the Chesapeak Ripper he had been searching for was in fact Hannibal himself.

The roar of a car and tiles running over the pebbly ground of his porch ripped him out of his thoughts. He turned slightly at the direction with a raised eyebrow. Who would visit him here, in such a deserted place? None of his acquaintances for sure knew where he now lived. He had made sure of that after he had left the BAU and the FBI all together. Even more so after the incident with Francis Dolarhyde. No one knew that after being gone for a year somewhere in Europe he was back in this fateful house.

Will turned around more when the car came to a stop. It was a shabby old car colored in brown. Or maybe it was the rust coloring it completely. He wasn't sure. The door creaked open and out stepped a young woman with brown hair falling to her shoulders. She locked her car and, once noticing his presence, slowly walked over to him.

“Will Graham?” she asked a little uncertain yet with confidence at the same time. Will gave her a look-over. She barely reached his chin in height and was dressed casually. Very much like he was all the time. He felt as if he was staring at himself in a female body. That was strange on a whole new level to him, yet his ability of ubersensitive empathy led him to the conclusion that she was _too_ much like him.

“Did Jack Crawford send you down here, all the way from Quantico?” he asked without hesitation and the young woman looked at him surprised.

It took her a long minute to reply, “Not quite. He doesn't really know that I searched up your address and came down here. Actually, he has no clue at all.”

Will felt a smile tug on his lips. She must be really smart to play Jack that way, though he was almost certain that he _would_ find out about her little scheme. “What brings you here then, I wonder, Miss …?”

“Starling. Clarice Starling.”

“Miss Satrling then,” he muttered and set foot to walk towards his house. With a motion of his head he beckoned her to follow him and offered her a seat and coffee. She refused the coffee but gladly took the seat. He shrugged and sat down himself, his bottle standing to his feet. “Well, Miss Starling, what can I do for you? Or do you prefer Officer Starling?”

Clarice fiddled a little with her fingers. “Miss is fine, thank you. I was asked by Mister Crawford to work on a case with him. I believe you have heard of Buffalo Bill from the news?” He nodded. She took a breath and raised her eyes to meet his green ones. “I am supposed to interview someone for our database on psychological profiling.”

Will squinted his eyes a little at that. He moved forward in his chair, his elbows resting on his knees when he levelled her gaze. “Who is the subject, _Clarice_?” he asked calmly. He didn't give her the doubt though that he _knew_ who her subject was.

“Dr. Hannibal Lecter,” was all she said; no beating around the bush because she knew that would not be helpful at all.

“You shuldn't deal with him,” he warned her unmasked. There was no need to hide anything. Her eyes though were determined. She _had_ to deal with him. Whatever she wanted to achieve with this interview, she would not step down from her task. Yes, she was very much alike himself. For a second he wondered if the two could become friends. _Real_ friends.

He sat back into his chair and folded his arms. “You want me to give advice on how to deal best with him, right?”

Clarice nodded. “It would be of help. I understand though that you are hestitant about it.”

Will laughed a little at that. At first puzzled with his reaction, Clarice smiled herself along with his laughter. She wondered for a second how it would be working together with him, more than just asking him for advice. Will took a deep breath when he composed himself. “You need to stay cautious. He is a sly sociopath and likes to play scheming games. Also, he is very well-mannered even as a serial killer. Unless his own life is threatened he probably will not harm you.”

“You think if I treat him with respect he is more likely to give me answers to what I seek?” Clarice inquired with much attention. She didn't bother taking notes because it had always been one of her traits to keep new information well without forgetting.

“You can bet on that. He hates nothing more than rudeness. Well, boredom I believe is a thing he suffers from greatly currently. Another thing he doesn't seem to fancy,” Will explained further and only continued when he was sure Clarice understood it all. “Just, be really careful. He is good in manipulating things.”

“I will watch out, thank you.”

It was not long after that they departed. Will asked Clarice to call through if she needed any more help with her case, much more so in dealing with Hannibal. She agreed and he was sure that this was the beginning of something he would call a _real_ friendship.

*****

Hannibal Lecter sat in his cell in the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane and was crouched over his desk. Gracefully his fingers moved over the napkin when he drew line after line. Footsteps were coming closer to his cell and by the scent his sensitive nostrils caught, he recognized them to be Barney's.

“There came a letter for you, Doctor,” the orderly announced softly and put the envelope onto the tray. It caught Hannibal's interest that Barney pretty much whispered his words and he pulled the tray closer to see the letter. Examining it closely he found the letter to be closed. It had not been opened before – not by Chilton nor any other security. Inwardly he smiled and mused about the origin of the letter. There was no smile on his face, but Barney was not around anyway to even see it.

Carefully the Doctor opened the white envelope and closed his eyes when a faint but very familiar scent of cologne mixed with several odors of dogs filled his nostrils. A smile now obviously tugged on his lips when he read the letter:

> > I am certain news reached you that a young officer will visit you by the beginning of the day. Do treat her kindly.
>> 
>> Ta,  
>  Will Graham
>> 
>> P.S. Treat this gift with care. It is the only I got.

Maroon eyes were shining with mirth upon reading word after word. Even more so when Hannibal found a key resting innocently in the depths of the white envelope which as well carried the desired address for the small object. It did not halt him from letting a smile spread over his lips that let his white teeth shine through.

It was not long after that Barney appeared before his cell and announced the arrival of the young officer Will so kindly had written him about. He returned to his drawing and waited for the steps of the young woman to come closer towards his cell.

When they stopped the young woman addressed him, “Dr. Lecter.” He looked up from his napkin.

“My name is Clarice Starling. May I talk with you?” she inquired and Hannibal considered the thought with his fingers atop his pursed lips. He rose from his chair and came closer to the bars of his cell.

“Good morning,” he declared well-mannered as he was and added mostly to himself, “ _Clarice_.”


End file.
